Just to Belong
by khollie
Summary: Johnny's friends learn the importance of having a family to care for.


Just to Belong

"Hey Roy! What's up with that partner of yours?" Roy looked up to see Chet walking into the day room of Station 51 with a puzzled expression on his face.

"What do you mean?" Roy asked, a tingle of worry beginning to gnaw at the base of his neck.

"He just found the water bomb I, I mean the Phantom, planted in his locker, and he didn't do anything. He just smiled at me, then changed his shirt and left. No argument or anything." Chet Kelly may have been one of the best firefighters that Roy had ever worked with, but he was still basically an overgrown kid.

Roy relaxed and turned another page of the paper he was reading. "He says he just doesn't feel good today. I've already asked him about it." The paramedic in Roy DeSoto knew that if anything were really wrong his partner would have said something, but the friend was still worried about his normally very talkative partner. John Gage was the youngest of the crew and a credit to the paramedic program. His boyish charm and grin made him a hit with his patients and with quite a number of young ladies.

"But even when he's sick, he's never this quiet. Normally you can't shut him up when he's hurt or sick." Chet ran a hand through his black curly hair before dropping into a chair at the table.

"Believe it or not Chet, even Johnny can have an off day." Roy chuckled as he went back to his paper, never giving voice to the worrisome thoughts that had begun to circle around his head.

Johnny lay on the hood of his Land Rover out in the parking lot in the hot August sun with his eyes closed. Mike and Marco were in the back arguing over the merits of barbeque sauce vs chili powder for chicken breasts when Captain Stanley walked out to join them. He glanced over at his resting paramedic before joining the barbeque discussion.

Mike Stoker, the tall engineer for the crew, scratched his short brown hair as he stole a glance at his sleeping crewmate. "Hi Cap. Will you tell this crazy Mexican that chili powder doesn't belong anywhere near chicken."

"Crazy Mexican?!" Marco Lopez, the final member of 51's crew jabbed a finger into his own chest. "Look Mike, my mother has been cooking chicken with chili powder since before you were born!"

"Calm down both of you." The tall lanky captain scratched his nose and ducked his head as he stole another look at the young man lying on the hood of his car. "How's he doing?" Both firemen knew what the captain was talking about.

"He hasn't said a word for over an hour, Cap." Mike's answer was just as quiet.

"I know. He's been quiet all shift. Maybe that run this morning got to him." Cap mused. "That car didn't miss him by much more than a hair. If he hadn't pulled me out of the way..." Cap let the sentence drop.

"He told me that he was glad you were alright. Something about Miss Emily being too young to raise kids on her own." Mike answered. "He muttered something about kids needing their fathers before he walked away. I couldn't get him to talk to me after that. He just smiled kinda strange and climbed back into the squad." Mike scratched his head. "Makes you wonder what kind of childhood he had."

"I know what you mean, pal. Johnny never says anything about his family." Marco spoke up. "I come from a really big family. I can't imagine not having them around and underfoot all the time."

"Well guys, we can't pry. A man is entitled to his privacy. All we can do is let him know that we are here for him." Cap shoved his hands into his pants pockets and changed the subject. "So, how's lunch coming?"

Marco wasn't ready to let the subject drop. "Does Roy know what's wrong with him. It's just not natural for Johnny to be this still all day." Marco waved the spatula toward the sleeping man.

"If he does, he isn't talking either. Just leave Johnny alone, he'll come around when he's ready." With that sage advice, Cap walked back into the apparatus bay.

"_Station 51. Man trapped with possible fire danger. Crenshaw Lumber Yard. 8967 Baker. Eight, nine, six, seven, Baker. Time out 10:06"_

Chet was still pestering Roy as the klaxon rang out. Johnny jumped up and managed to beat everyone in the general scramble for places in the vehicles. He took the run sheet from Roy and noted the time on it before filing it above the sunshade.

The crew was met at the door by one of the foremen. "I have a man trapped in the back where we keep the paint thinner and acetone based materials. He snuck back there to smoke and bumped into the pallet or something. With all the flammables back there, I didn't want to risk a fire or something.

Roy spoke up. "How is he trapped?"

"There are a couple of fifty-five gallon drums that are lying on his back and legs. He's out, not talking or anything. One of the other men said he smelled smoke back there so I got everyone out and called you guys."

"Good call. " Cap couldn't remember the last time someone had actually shown good judgment about a hazardous situation. "Now, I need you to go and do a head count, make sure everyone else is out of there." Cap turned to the men at his back.

"Roy, you and John grab your gear and head on back. Chet, Marco, grab an inch and a half and follow them in." He raised the HT to his mouth. "LA engine 51, respond an ambulance to our location."

"Engine 51, LA. ETA on ambulance will be 20 minutes."

Roy followed Johnny back to the squad and joined him in donning turnout coat and gathering rescue and medical equipment. Though they had only been partners for a little over a year, both men seemed to know what the other was thinking and very few words were needed to get the job done. Seeing that Chet and Marco were ready, the two paramedics headed for the back of the lot.

Johnny knelt down beside the prone man, placing his fingers on the man's neck to count his pulse. "He's alive." the young paramedic stated. Quickly he and Roy set about using crib blocks and the portapower to lift up the heavy drums off the trapped man. It took only minutes for the whole operation and soon the drums were rolling off to one side. While Johnny gathered up the used equipment, Roy busied himself with doing the assessment on the victim and contacting Rampart Hospital.

While the paramedics worked, Chet and Marco slowly swept the area looking for the source of the reported smoke smell. The day was becoming warm and the metal cans of paint thinner gave off a faint odor along with another just as recognizable and much deadlier smell. Chet stopped and held up his hand to alert Marco. "Smell that?" he asked.

Marco stopped and took a deep breath. "I smell it. Where's it coming from?" Carefully, the two tightened their grip on the charged hose and walked down a narrow aisle. The smell of burning wood was still slight, but there. Both firemen knew that the old adage "where there's smoke, there's fire" was all too true. Marco dug out his HT and crisply informed the captain. He could hear his captain calling for a full fire assignment.

"Oh my head," the young accident victim groaned as he tried to sit up. Roy reached out a hand and gently pushed him back down.

"Just take it easy there. You've had a busy day." Roy smiled down at the man as he rechecked the boy's pulse rate. "Do you remember what happened?"

"I was checking out the pallets of paint thinner for the inventory and found a couple of kids back there smoking. I yelled at them and one of them pushed me. I don't remember anything after that."

Johnny was listening to the exchange between his partner and their patient while he was listening to Marco and Chet's progress. He heard them discover the source of the burning wood and extinguish it. Chet's voice carried back to him as they had the Captain cancel the fire alarm. Roy had just finished putting the splint on their victim's right ankle when the ambulance attendants appeared with the gurney.

"I'll get the backboard off the squad." Johnny volunteered. He and his partner planned to take spinal precautions for their patient which meant a backboard. They had already applied a neck brace before rolling the young man over to treat his wounds. Now it should be a simple matter to roll the patient and slip the backboard under him to keep his back still and straight for the ride to the hospital.

Johnny grabbed the backboard and returned quickly. He and Roy positioned the board and the ambulance attendants for the maneuver, but neither of the crewmen had ever worked with a backboard before. The driver was very unsure and refused to help, saying he didn't want to cause the young victim any problems. Johnny gave the man a full thumbs up for honesty.

"Hang on a minute. I"ll go get Marco or Chet to give us a hand. Brad," he addressed the reluctant ambulance driver, "would you see about making us a bit more room here to work?" He got up and started walking to where he could hear his crewmates cleaning up as Brad busied himself with trying to move construction debris out of Roy's way.

"Hey Chet! Marco! Can you give us a hand out here?" the young paramedic called out as he made his way deeper into the aisle.

"Sure John. Just give us a second to secure this pile. The fire, what there was of it, was under this pallet. We just need to move some bracing under it for safety." Marco called back. Johnny reached the spot where Marco was working and saw him beginning to wedge a piece of lumber under the edge of a blackened wooden pallet. He understood why Marco was worried as he noted the four heavy pallets of five gallon cans stacked beside his friend. Chet was on the other side of the pallet holding vigil with the hose in case anymore sparks were spotted.

"What started the fire?" John asked.

"Looks like those kids were smoking and when our victim chased them off, one of their smokes rolled under here and started this sawdust smoldering. It could have been really nasty if we hadn't caught it in time." Marco answered as he continued to work the piece of bracing under the weakened pallet. "Chet, call Cap and have him get that foreman. This pile has got to be unloaded and the weight taken off this...Oww!"

"Marco!" John moved to his friend's side. "What happened? You okay?"

Marco sat up and started shaking his hand. "I'm ok. Just got my wrist on a splinter." He pushed up the sleeve of his turnout coat and plucked the splinter out of his forearm. Johnny gave it a cursory glance before Marco pulled his sleeve back down. "It's just a splinter, John."

Johnny started to reply when a noise from behind Marco caught his attention. Marco heard it at the same time and cocked his head to try and determine what it was. "Move!" Marco found himself knocked violently to the side as Johnny gave him a powerful shove.

The barrels came crashing down as the weakened pallet gave way. Marco bunched himself up as much as he could and rolled even further out of the way. He felt one or two of the barrels hit his leg as he moved. As the noise died away, Marco became aware of Chet's shouting.

"Marco! You okay, man?" Chet picked his way through the fallen barrels to the fallen man's side and gently pressed him back down to the ground. "Stay down till you get checked out. How bad were you hit?"

Marco grasped Chet's hand and pulled himself up. "I'm ok. Johnny pushed me outta the way. Where is John?" Marco jumped up, ignoring the bruising in his leg and pushed his way over the cans. "John!"

"I'm over here." Johnny's voice sounded from behind one of the stacks. He stepped over the five gallon buckets as he made his way to his co-workers. "Are you alright, Marco, Chet?"

"I'm fine, thanks to you. Are you okay? None of those cans hit you did they?"

"Not a scratch. I just wanted to make sure Mama Lopez's boy was safe. She'd never send us anymore tamales if I let anything happen to her boy." Johnny's smile didn't make it to his eyes as he led the way back to where Roy was waiting. While helping to load the young victim onto the backboard, he and Marco told of the collapse and assured Roy and Cap that they were unharmed. Roy climbed into the back of the ambulance and rode off after checking Marco for injuries.

"See ya back at the barn." Cap said as Johnny followed in the squad.

Once at the hospital, Roy barely had time to turn over his patient before Johnny was calling him from down the hall, announcing another run.

An hour later the two paramedics were back in the station and Roy was telling the rest of his crewmates about the little old lady whose tom cat was stuck up a tree.

"You guys should have seen Johnny." Roy insisted. "He calmed that lady right down, shimmied up that tree faster than I have ever seen him move, and was down again in no time with that cat tucked inside his shirt. It was..." he broke off as Johnny walked into the room and went over to open the refrigerator.

"Any one of you guys would have done the same thing. She was just a sweet old lady with no family. That cat is the closest thing to children that she has. I couldn't just tell her that we don't save cats outta trees, it would have broken her heart. No one deserves to be alone at her age." John grabbed a cold soda out of the open fridge, closed the door carefully, and left the room.

Roy followed the lanky young man out the door and watched his partner climb the hose rack and sit at the top, drinking his soda. He knew that he had never seen this side of the happy go lucky paramedic. This was a different man, one that was somehow sadder, and much more vulnerable.

An hour later, Chet ventured outside and found Johnny still at the top of the hose tower. Chet shook his head and went over to the barbeque grill where Marco and Mike had resumed their earlier conversation. Chet could see that the grill was open and Mike had spread the charcoal out and doused it with the lighter fluid. Grinning from ear to ear, Chet joined the argument about the best way to cook chicken outdoors. Johnny watched as Chet and Marco shook their heads and started back inside the station. His mouth began to water at the thought of barbequed chicken for lunch instead of the usual sandwiches.

From his perch on the tower, Johnny could hear his crewmates and allowed himself a slight grin as he watched Marco and Chet lose the argument and retreat. The young man had come to regard the station as home and the rest of the crew as family. Though the group had only been together for little over a year, they were closer than any family Johnny could ever remember. Johnny started to climb down when the sight of a couple of kids walking down the alleyway behind the station caught his eye.

The two boys appeared to be around ten or eleven and were giggling over something they had hidden in a bag. The two young men thought that they were well hidden behind the low brick wall that formed the rear of the parking area behind the fire station. Johnny was too far away to hear what they were saying, but could tell that they were up to some sort of mischief. He shook his head and smiled sadly as he swung his legs down and found the ladder. Johnny was halfway down the ladder when he heard a pop and looked down where the boys where at. Fear seized him as he realized what the boys had done. Even though it was late August, the boys had set off a bottle rocket saved from the Fourth of July.

"Mike!! Move!!" Johnny shouted as loudly as he could. Mike's head jerked up when he heard Johnny's shout. He ran for the bay door as fast as he could. He had only taken a few steps when the bottle rocket hit the open grill. The explosion wasn't big but it was enough to knock Mike to the ground. Mike lay still as Johnny scurried down the ladder and ran to his side.

Roy ran out of the bay at Johnny's shout then ran back in to grab a fire extinguisher and call for help when he saw Mike on the ground. Cap and the rest of the crew quickly joined them. Marco was holding the fire extinguisher and went to work on the remains of the grill. Roy had grabbed the drug box off the squad and knelt down beside Johnny.

"You okay, Mike?" Johnny asked.

"I think so. Help me up." Mike reached up a hand to Roy.

"Just lay still a moment there, pal." Cap answered as he joined them. "I want

Roy and John to check you over first. What the hell happened anyway?"

Johnny told the captain about seeing the boys behind the wall. Cap sent Chet to look to see if the boys had left any fireworks behind. By the time Chet returned, Marco had put out the fire and the paramedics had determined that Mike had only grazed his arms by hitting the pavement. Roy went with him to the dorm to clean his arms and put antiseptic on the scratches.

Cap turned to Johnny. "Good work there, pal. Mike could have been in real trouble if you hadn't spotted those boys. He was lucky you were up there."

Johnny shrugged his shoulders. "Just doing my job, Cap." With that, Johnny went to help Marco and Chet clean up the remains of the grill.

Barely fifteen minutes passed before the tones sounded again sending the squad off on another run.

"Squad 51, possible suicide attempt. 457 Wilmont. Four, five, seven Wilmont. Police are responding. Time out 12:56."

Roy acknowledged the call as Johnny got into the squad and strapped on his helmet. Cap raised the bay doors and said a little prayer as his paramedic team sped out. These kinds of calls were always unsure and his men could use all the help they could get.

Five minutes later, Roy pulled the squad up to a small brick house with a well landscaped lawn and toys in the front yard. As they gathered their equipment out of the side compartment, a police car pulled up and Office Vince Howard got out. Both paramedics liked working with Vince who had a healthy dose of respect for the firemen and the hard jobs they were saddled with.

"Did you get any more information on the call, Vince?" Johnny asked as he and Roy stepped up to the door.

"No. I just got the call to assist you two with an attempted suicide." Vince took the lead and knocked on the door. "Fire department! Anyone home?"

"Stay out! I have a gun! Just go away! No one can help me now." a woman's voice sounded from inside.

Vince motioned for Roy and Johnny to step away from the door. "She sounds pretty out of it. Until we have the situation controlled, you two need to stay back. Do you have any idea who called this in?"

Roy shook his head. "We can try to find out though. Johnny, why don't you go call LA and see what you can find out." Johnny just nodded before jogging back to the squad. He picked up the mic and spoke for several minutes before rejoining Roy and Vince beside the door.

"Her name is Ashley Arminez. LA says the callback number belongs to the woman's workplace. She called her boss and told him she wouldn't be in to work tonight because she was going to be dead. He called us." Johnny folded his notepad and slipped it back into his shirt pocket. "Let's try to talk to her again."

"Ashley?" John stood off to the side of the door and knocked again. "Ashley? My name is Johnny. I'm a paramedic with the fire department."

"Go away!" the woman inside sobbed. "I have to do this!"

"I know it looks that way. But maybe there is another way. Can I come inside and talk to you? Just me, no one else." Johnny lowered his voice. "You must have a reason for this. Tell me what is going on. Let me help you."

"No one can help me. I really messed up this time. I can't go on, I just can't..."

Sobs could be heard from the other side of the door.

"Ashley, please, just let me help. You never know, maybe two of us can figure something out."

Roy looked at his partner with askance in his eyes. Something in Johnny's tone struck a chord deep inside him. Somewhere in this young man's past, he had faced and won over a similar crisis.

"Promise?" The wavering note of helplessness nearly brought tears to Roy's eyes.

"I promise. Now, can I come in?" Johnny put his hand on the door knob.

"Yes."

Johnny exchanged glances with Roy and Vince before picking up the drug box and gently opening the door. Vince and Roy were left standing on the doorstep with matching looks of worry and disbelief. That worry was only intensified when the door lock clicked shut.

Vince stepped off the porch to try and see what was happening through the front windows. He could see the young paramedic and his patient standing in the middle of the room. The girl looked to be in her mid twenties and was somewhat overweight. Vince unconsciously fingered his weapon when he saw the gun that the victim was pointing at Johnny.

Roy counted off two very long minutes before calling through the door. "Johnny, you two okay in there?" No answer. He tried again. "Johnny!"

This time there was a muted answer. "It's ok. Just give us a minute or two more." More silence followed. Roy's patience was finally rewarded when he heard the door lock release followed by Johnny's call through the door for him to enter.

Roy opened the door slowly, making sure that his movements were slow and the biophone was dangling loosely from his right hand. He didn't want to do anything to scare their patient into using the gun she still held. "Johnny, you okay?"

"We're just fine, Roy. Ashley here is ready to go to the hospital and see if we can find her some help." Johnny was standing protectively by the young girl's side. Ashley still held the handgun but it was pointed at the floor.

Roy stopped by the front door and put the biophone down beside him. "Do you want to call an ambulance or can she go with Vince?"

"I don't want to ride in an ambulance." Ashley's voice was soft and faint.

"Okay, Vince it is." Roy turned slightly and raised his voice. "Vince, it's okay. Why don't you come in here and introduce yourself."

Johnny watched as the door opened wider to admit the stocky black policeman. Roy turned to make sure that he was out of the way of the door and missed seeing the look that flashed on young Ashley's face. Johnny heard her quick intake of breath and turned to her just as she raised the gun.

"You lied to me!! You want to arrest me! I won't go! I won't go!" Ashley raised the gun and fired off a round just as Johnny stepped in front of her, grabbed her hand and forced the gun toward the ceiling. He wrestled with the distraught woman for several long seconds before he finally got the gun away from her and stepped back. Ashley collapsed on the floor sobbing. The lanky paramedic held the gun away from his body as he turned to his partner.

Roy and Vince were still standing at the open door, plaster from the new bullet hole in the ceiling still drifting down on their heads. Roy was the first to find his voice. "Thanks, partner." Vince nodded his thanks as he advanced toward the sobbing woman.

Johnny flashed a smile at Roy as he sat down beside his patient and wrapped his arms around her. "Hand me that blanket off the couch would you please?" he asked Vince. John took the blanket and laid it gently over Ashley's shoulders.

"I could have killed you." she sobbed as she hung on to the front of John's uniform. "I didn't mean to. Please help me." The young woman's body shook with the tears that streamed down her face.

"Everything's gonna be just fine. Vince here is a friend of mine and he's gonna take you on to the hospital and get you some help. My partner and I will follow you there and make sure you get settled, deal?" Johnny lifted her chin to look at him.

"Did you really...?" she asked.

"Yes, but like I said, it got better. You just have to work for it. You go with Vince now and I"ll see you in the ER." Gently, the two got up off the floor together and the paramedic handed his patient off to Vince. He radioed in a call to dispatch to inform them that the officer would be transporting the patient and that Squad 51 was on follow-up to the hospital.

A shaken Roy still hadn't said anything to his younger partner, preferring to let Johnny run the scene and deal with the victim since he had built a rapport with her. The sandy-haired man maintained his silence until both men were in the squad and then he turned to Johnny. "What were you thinking!!" he shouted. "You could have been killed when that gun went off. Why on earth did you jump in front of it?"

Johnny's dark eyes were somber but his voice held a bit of his old humor. "It's simple, Roy. Joanne expects you back in one piece after every shift. You can't let her down and neither can I." John gave the older man one last long look before taking out his pen and jotting down notes for his report to give to the doctors at Rampart.

The rest of the afternoon passed quietly for the men of Station 51.

Johnny begged off from the card game after their belated lunch and offered to do the dishes by himself. Chet tried to help him but Johnny gently took the dry rag from him and told him that Henry needed a friend more. "I'm just not good company today," he apologized.

Around three that afternoon, Cap found his young paramedic lying on his bunk reading a letter. Johnny casually laid the letter face down as his captain approached.

"Ok, John. What's up?" Cap wasted no words.

"Nothing important, Cap. I've just got a few things on my mind today is all. I just need a little space today." Johnny's voice was soft and low.

Cap sat down on the bunk next to him. "Do you need to leave or anything? I can try to get a replacement for the rest of your shift." Hank Stanley didn't make the offer lightly, but he understood that the pressures of the job sometimes left more than physical wounds to be dealt with.

"Thanks but no. I think being here is better for me. I sorta need to be by myself but I don't really want to be alone. Does that make any sense?" Johnny shrugged his shoulders.

"I think so, Pal. Just remember that my door is open if you need to talk. For that matter, we are all here if you need us." Cap gave John's knee a pat and then left. Roy, waiting just outside the dorm door, looked quizzically at his Cap as he emerged from the dorm. "I think he'll be okay. Just don't be too far away. I have a feeling that he will need to talk to someone when he figures out the problem."

Roy opened his mouth to answer when the ring of the klaxon beat him to it.

"_Station 51, Engine 10, Engine 110_. _Smoke reported at warehouse, 467 South Carnes. Four, six, seven south Carnes. Time out 1427."_

In the general rush for places on the rigs, Captain Stanley stopped by the radio podium to acknowledge the call before taking his place on the engine. Roy and the squad led the way out of the station and down the road. A quick drive brought the station to an industrial part of town filled with abandoned warehouses. Roy parked the squad on the far side of the lot, leaving plenty of room for the engine to park where there was easy access to the hydrant as well as a good overall view of the warehouse. He and Johnny grabbed their air packs and shrugged into them as they joined the engine crew.

Cap was already speaking with a police officer on the scene. "I saw smoke coming out of the northwest corner," the young officer stated. "I watched it for a moment until I saw flames then I called it in."

"Do you know if anyone is still in there?" Cap asked.

"As far as we know, it is empty. The owners put it up for sale two months ago. There is a watchman around here somewhere, I saw him walk out to the parking lot a minute or two ago. I have a call into the real estate agent now to see what was stored here and if anything dangerous is still inside." The officer pushed back his helmet to reveal a young black man with a wide smile.

"Good work." Cap thanked him and turned to his crew. "Okay, Chet and Marco, grab an inch and a half and check out the interior. Make your way to the northwest corner. Roy, John, I want you to make a quick sweep and make sure there are no people inside. You never know who might have decided to set up housekeeping in there." He felt the old familiar pang of worry as four of his crew headed out for the warehouse.

Chet and Marco took the hose and followed the paramedics into the smoky building. They had seen the other dispatched engines arrive on scene and knew that other crews would be joining them inside. The four from Station 51 made their way to the indicated corner, checking the few side rooms and winding their way around the few piles of debris that littered the floor. Smoke was drifting down from the loft upstairs leading Roy and Johnny to decide to sweep that area next.

Johnny led the way up the narrow wooden staircase with Roy at his back. Chet and Marco followed a few feet behind, Chet in front holding the hose firmly and looking for any hint of flame that might threaten the two paramedics. The stairs opened onto a large open area with a pile of wooden boxes standing near the one open window. The smoke was thicker here and Johnny and Roy split up to make their sweep. Chet and Marco stationed themselves in the middle of the room in order to cover as much floor space as possible.

Johnny was making his way around the left side of the room when he spotted a faint gleam on the floor. He bent down to examine it and followed the liquid trail to the pile of debris. Understanding dawned and he lifted his mask to yell a frantic warning.

"Flashover! Run!!" The lanky paramedic suited actions to words as he ran pell-mell for his crewmates. Roy had seen his partner stop and examine the floor and was somewhat prepared to make a run for safety. Seeing Johnny run for the stairs was confirmation enough for Roy to make his own exit. He beat Johnny to the stairs and was waved on by Marco.

"We'll cover you! Get out of here, now!" Marco yelled through his mask. Roy nodded and headed down the rickety staircase. Marco had dropped the hose and was right behind him. Chet stayed in place, holding the nozzle firmly until Johnny made it safely to the stairs.

"What are you waiting for? Move! Don't worry about me." Johnny quickly, but gently, grabbed the nozzle away from Chet and spun him around. "Get out of here! Don't wait for me! The guys need you." Chet didn't have the time to point out that Johnny was needed as well. He ran, hearing his friend's footsteps right behind him.

The two firemen had almost reached the bottom when a great _whoosh _of air began behind them. Johnny grabbed Chet from behind, forced him down on the floor, and covered him as the blast of hot air blew out over them. Johnny could feel bits of wood and other debris falling on his back as he tried to protect the firefighter under him.

He was glad that he had taken the time to tighten the straps on his helmet as a large piece of metal pipe glanced off the hard surface. He fought back a grunt of pain, no use letting anyone else know that he had gotten hit.

Chet lay on cement floor with the weight of his station mate pressing him down. He could feel that Johnny had wrapped himself around his friend and was protecting him as best as he could. The stocky firefighter heard the pipe hit something before clanging down on the floor. "Good thing that didn't hit one of us. It could really do some damage." Chet laid still and concentrated on breathing as the debris kept falling and the flames roared above them. He could feel Johnny's weight on his back and heard the hiss of his airpack as Johnny fought for breath.

Roy and Marco stopped just inside the door and looked back for their friends. The sight that greeted them was a hellish nightmare. The wooden staircase was engulfed in flames with pieces of burning wood and sections of metal pipes still falling down to ring on the concrete floor. Try as they might, neither man could see Chet or Johnny through the flames. "Johnny!!" Roy called as loudly as he could. He tried to head back into the flames but was stopped by Marco's strong hand.

"We have to get help! Come on! We can't help them by ourselves." Marco pulled Roy out of the building and over to the engine and Cap. "Chet and Johnny are still in there! Johnny warned us. I think he saw something on the upper floor. He yelled at us to get out. Chet was covering with the hose but neither of them made it."

Cap listened with a feeling of dread building. He looked over the shoulder of his man and saw the flames licking at the building. He had already called in to dispatch for extra help when he heard the explosion. Now he directed Roy and Marco to grab another hose and reenter the blazing inferno. He itched to be able to go himself, but as the first captain on scene, it was his job to set up the incident command until the battalion chief arrived.

Roy and Marco grabbed a new hose and began the slow fight into the building. Flames were shooting out of the garage-type door opening, obscuring any chance of finding their comrades by sight. Marco handled the hose while Roy backed him up. They concentrated on making an entry way into the building. Roy could hear more engines arriving and silently urged them to hurry. The flames were building up and the dry materials in the warehouse were feeding the fire. The water that Marco and Roy were pouring onto the fire seemed to make no difference at all.

Inside the warehouse, Johnny could feel the heat from the flames licking at his back. He knew that the material of his turnout coat would protect them from the flames for a bit, but after that, well...he didn't want to think about the rest of it. At least he could protect Chet until others came to rescue them. He reached up and lifted his mask so he could try to talk to Chet. "Chet! Just hang on! The others will be here soon!" He had to shout to be heard above the roar of the fire.

"Johnny! My air is gone!" Chet was coughing as he tried to speak. "I can't breathe!"

Johnny wasted no time ripping off his mask and reaching around Chet's back to press the face piece to his mouth. "Breathe! Are you hurt anywhere?"

Chet grabbed the mask with his left hand. "I can't move, but I don't think anything is broke. If you can get off me, I think we can get out of here." Chet stopped talking to let another coughing spasm pass.

Johnny responded by pressing himself more tightly around his charge. "No! We have to stay here. Roy and Marco know where we are. If we move around, they might miss us." He fought the cough that was making it's way through his chest. "Just keep on breathing and stay still. I don't want to aggravate any injuries you might have."

Time dragged slowly for the trapped men. Chet breathed in the fresher air in the mask. He made sure to give the mask back to Johnny after each couple of breaths, never realizing that Johnny rarely made use of it. He felt protected with Johnny's arms around him and his friend's voice in his ear. He could tell that Johnny was coughing violently now, but didn't think it was unusual given he was more exposed to the smoke and flames. He couldn't see the beam that held Johnny down or see the blood running down the gash in John's back.

Johnny tried to hang to consciousness for Chet's sake. He perked up and tried to turn his head when he heard Roy's shouts. "They found us pal. Roy's nearly here. You call your mom tonight and tell her I said she has a great guy for a son. You take care of her, you..." Johnny lost his fight as the darkness came crashing in.

"Johnny! Talk to me! Don't do this!" Chet tried to reach back and place the mask on the paramedic but his face down position wouldn't let him reach. "Roy! Over here! Johnny needs help! Marco!" Chet began to struggle in earnest, sensing that Johnny's life was in jeopardy.

Roy and Marco had fought their way back into the building and the foot of the staircase. Other firefighters were spread out next to them, each knowing that a couple of their brothers were trapped somewhere in the inferno. Marco was the first to hear Chet's frantic yells.

"They're here! Give me a hand!" Marco shut off the nozzle and ran to the pile of burnt wood that used to be the staircase. He had seen the black of Johnny's pant leg sticking out from under a major wooden support beam. He began to pull at the wood as Roy went to the other side to see if he could reach either man. He found a hole and peered in. He could see Johnny's motionless form and could just make out Chet's turnout coat beneath that. "

"Johnny! Chet! Can you hear me?" Roy's voice was muffled by the airmask, but to Chet, it was pure music.

"I can hear you. John's hurt bad, he passed out a few minutes ago. Can you get him?" Chet's concern was for his injured friend.

"He's pinned pretty good. How are you?"

"I'm okay. Johnny pushed me into a hole and crawled in on top of me. I don't think anything hit me, but I know he got beaned a few times." Chet's voice was calmer now that help had come.

Roy raised his airmask so that he could bring the handy-talkie closer to his mouth. "HT 51 to Engine 51. Cap, we've found them. Both are alive but hurt. We need a porta-power, a pair of neck splints and two backboards. They're trapped but we should be able to get them out fairly quickly. "

"Ten-four, it's on it's way, Roy" Cap raced to the squad and retrieved the requested items himself. He barely noticed when the captain of 110's materialized beside him and grabbed one end of the stokes basket with the backboards inside. The two captains made their way inside and found the men. They set down the equipment and joined Roy and Marco in planning out how to raise the beam holding the men down.

"Hank, I'll have my squad dispatched out to give DeSoto a hand. It may take them a while to get here since they are on the other end of our district giving a school demo." 110's Captain excused himself to call LA dispatch while Stanley went to help rescue his trapped men.

A plan of action was mapped out and Marco and Roy took the lead in placing the porta-power and gently raising the beam. While men held and steadied the beam, Roy crawled into the hole as far as he could to make sure that Johnny was free enough to extricate. "Okay, hand me the neck splint." Roy held out his hand for the equipment. Gently, he wrapped the splint around Johnny's neck and pumped up the pressure. He was concerned about Johnny's rapid pulse and slow respiration rate. Shock was setting in and no amount of stimulation would rouse the unconscious paramedic. "Okay now, we have to get him out of here as a unit. I don't want his neck or spine to move. We don't want to make a bad situation worse." Roy then requested that Cap have the biophone and other gear set up outside so he could begin immediate treatment on the two injured firemen.

Minutes later, both men were carried outside and laid down on the far side of the squad. Chet was on oxygen, but aside from some smoke inhalation and a few bruises, appeared to be in good shape. Johnny, it seemed, had taken the brunt of the collapse and the injuries. Roy quickly performed an initial assessment and had Mike holding the respirator to assist John's breathing. After taking his partner's vital signs, Roy opened up the link to Rampart.

"Rampart base, this is Squad 51, how do you read?"

"Unit calling in go ahead." Dixie's voice came through loud and clear.

"Rampart, we have two victims, both firemen trapped under debris in a fire. Victim 1 is Chet Kelly. Vitals are BP 108/84, pulse 90, respirations 30. We have him on 6 liters of oxygen. No bleeding is visible and patients has no complaints of major pain. No tenderness or abnormalities noted in exam. Pupils equal and reactive. Patient is alert and oriented times 3. We have taken spinal precautions." Roy was speaking quickly and writing notes as he went.

"What about victim 2?" Now it was Dr. Brackett's strong baritone that sounded from the speaker.

"Victim 2 is John Gage. His vitals are BP 86/52, pulse 136, respirations are 20 assisted with unequal chest rise and fall. We are in the process of applying sandbags now. He has smoke and burn marks around his mouth and nose, pupils are equal but sluggish. Patient is unresponsive to verbal or pain stimuli at this time. He has a laceration approximately 3 inches long parallel to his spine in the lumbar region. Bleeding has been controlled with pressure. Victim also has swelling in the occipital region of the head. His helmet was missing by the time he was extricated. Deformity noted to left humerus and to right tib-fib and ankle." Johnny's list of injuries seemed ominous to those listening to the sandy haired paramedic. Roy's face and voice remained composed and professional, giving no clue to the worry that he was feeling.

At the other end of the line, Brackett turned to Dixie, his face clearly showing his worry. "Get Treatment 2 set up for a chest tray, x-rays, and intubation." As Dixie hurried off, Brackett turned back to the radio. "51, insert oral airway and continue to ventilate. Take full spinal precautions on victim 2 and start IV, Ringer's lactate. Also patch him in for a cardiac strip. Transport immediately. Continue spinal precautions on victim 1 and start IV normal saline. Transport as soon as possible."

Roy repeated the instructions back and added. "No ambulance is available at this time. Dispatch reports heavy traffic and says ETA is at least 10 minutes."

"Understood, 51. Get them in here as soon as you can. I want vitals on victim 2 every 5 minutes."Brackett signed off, but stayed close to the base station to keep abreast of new developments.

Marco stayed close to Chet to monitor him while Roy concentrated on Johnny with Mike helping with the respirator. Cap had gone over to talk to the battalion chief to update him on his crew's condition. "I'm taking your guys off this one, Hank. This fire has already been called in as out of control. The arson guys are coming on over. We think Gage may have seen something upstairs when he called the evacuation of your crew. How is he anyway?" The chief listened with growing concern when he heard the list of the young paramedic's injuries. "Take care of him, Hank. He may have just saved the lives of most of your crew today."

Cap looked at his chief with a wry smile. "He's already done that once today for all of us. I'll tell you about it later." With that, Cap walked off with the chief's confused stare boring into his back.

"Roy!" Mike's normal quiet tone was hi-pitched with fear. "He's not breathing on his own anymore! The air is just pushing in." Mike looked up at the older paramedic in consternation.

Roy grabbed the biophone. "Just keep breathing for him, Mike." Next Roy called the hospital. "Rampart Base, Squad 51."

"Go ahead, 51." Brackett's voice responded.

"Victim number 2 has gone into respiratory arrest. We are now ventilating manually at 24 breaths per minute."

"What is the ETA on your ambulance?" Brackett passed a hand over his face.

"ETA is still at least 10 minutes if not longer." Roy responded, not allowing his increasing frustration enter his voice.

"He can't wait. Get him in here now!"

"Cap!" Roy called. "We've got to go now!"

Cap looked around the parking lot trying to decide if transporting Johnny on the back of the engine was a viable option. He quickly saw that the engine was blocked in with the squad in front in Engine 110 behind it. Spotting Vince Howard standing a few feet away, Cap waved him over and explained the problem. "Is there any way to get an ambulance here now?"

"I just talked to my dispatcher. Your ambulance was involved in a hit and run. Can we load him in the back of my patrol car?" Vince asked.

"We're gonna have to. Pull your car over here so we can load Johnny. Doc wants him in route now!" Cap didn't wait for an answer but walked over to appraise Roy of the plan.

"We can do it. Chet can wait if I get permission from Brackett. Squad 110 is on their way. Help me..." Roy was interrupted.

"Maybe I can help." A man was standing there. He was black with wide shoulders and a broad grin on his face. "I drive a station wagon that still has my emergency flashers mounted. I just moved here from Alabama where I was captain of our local volunteer fire department. We can get both stretchers in the back and still have room for you to work."

"You've got yourself a deal." Cap shook hands with the captain. "Hank Stanley, Captain of Station 51. Can you pull your car over here?"

"Abram Moss. No need, Cap. It's sitting just the other side of your engine. All we have to do is let down the tailgate."

"Let's do it." While Roy contacted the hospital and told them of the transportation arrangements, Abram walked over to Vince and asked for a police escort to the hospital. Vince readily agreed and volunteered to do it himself.

Roy contacted Dr. Brackett and filled him in on the plan. "51, is patient one stable?"

"That's affirmative Rampart. Squad 110 has just arrived on scene and is available to stay with him. Our ETA is now 7 minutes." Roy turned to Moss. "Let's go. I don't have to tell you to drive carefully, do I?"

"No you don't, son. I had a partner at one time too." While Roy filled in 110's paramedics on Chet's condition, he was gathering up the drug box and biophone. He turned to Chet.

"These guys will take real good care of you and I"ll see you at the hospital."

"Don't worry about me. Just take care of Johnny. Roy, he thinks he's gonna die. He protected me, why?" Chet was upset and the stress was taking it's toll. Chet was never one to show his emotions, but Roy could see glimpses of tears in the injured man's eyes.

"I don't know, Chet. But, I promise to do everything possible to help him. You know Johnny's strong, and the docs at Rampart are the best. We just have to believe that he will be okay." Roy gripped Chet's shoulder then patted the mop of black, curly hair.

At that time, Cap called out, "We're ready to move, Roy!" With one last grip on the shoulder and a nod to his fellow paramedics, Roy ran over to help move Johnny into the station wagon.

Mike and Roy sat side by side at the head of John's stretcher. Mike never wavered in his timing of pumping air into the fallen's man's lungs. "Why did he quit breathing?" Mike asked the paramedic.

"He may have a collapsed lung or he may have burns to his airway. As long as we can keep oxygen going, his brain is getting what it needs. Doc Brackett will determine what else needs to be done. They may have to insert a chest tube to drain off air or blood. If it is burns to his airway, he may be on a respirator for a while to let it heal. " Roy replied as he watched the screen of the EKG monitor. He noted that it was time to update the hospital again with Johnny's vital signs.

"Rampart Base, Squad 51." Roy waited for Brackett to answer. "Updated vitals on victim 2. We are in route now with an ETA of 4 minutes. Pulse is 120, respirations are 24 assisted, BP is 88/58. EKG shows sinus rhythm. Sandbags appear to be stabilizing the chest during breathing."

"Is there any sign of tracheal deviation?" Brackett asked.

"Negative, Rampart. Breath sounds are diminished on the left but audible. Pupils remain equal but sluggish. Still no reaction to verbal or pain stimuli." Roy checked the IV bag while he waited for Brackett's response.

"Ten four, 51. We're waiting for you." Brackett signed off and turned to Dixie. "Let's pull John's chart. He was in here a couple of months of ago with that twisted knee."

"I've already got it. No allergies to any medications. I also have lab on standby, x-ray is waiting, and OR 2 is set up. Joe Early is waiting for you in two. The chest tube tray is ready and Gus from orthopedics will be down in about 15 minutes." Dixie looked up from the chart she had started on Johnny.

"Good girl. I"ll be waiting at the entrance. Have two orderlies bring a gurney out to help unload." Brackett headed off down the hall.

Moments later, Abram backed the station wagon up to the emergency entrance and shut off the engine. He didn't waste any time on opening the door and pulling out the backboard. The two orderlies helped him position the board on the gurney without getting in Mike's way. Roy climbed out last and helped to rush the patient into the treatment room as he gave Brackett the latest update.

Once inside the exam room, Brackett listened to Johnny's lungs and examined the burn marks around his mouth. "Joe, let's go with the chest tube first." As Brackett and Early began their work, Dixie guided Mike and Roy out the door.

"Come on guys. Let the doctors do their work. Kel will tell us what he finds as soon as he can. You two can help me fill out the paperwork. It'll give us something to do." She led the way to the nurse's desk and picked up the folder she had retrieved from medical records. "Here is his chart and the record from the time he was here. He's only been here once before but this will give us the basics. I"ll need a family member to sign these and to make his decisions until he wakes up. Do you know who his next of kin is, Roy?

"He has an aunt Rose but I don't have an address for her. Didn't he put down anything in there?"

"I have a phone number here but it is for the Next Generation Rest Home. Is she on staff there?"

"I don't know. I'll call and see if I can reach her." Roy wrote down the phone number. He looked up at Dixie's sharp intake of breath. "What's wrong?"

Dixie looked at Roy with tears in her eyes. "Did you know that today is his birthday?"

Roy stared at her with disbelief. "That isn't until next month. You had that party for him last September."

"I had a party to get Kel on board for the program. Johnny's past birthday was just an excuse. He never told me what day it actually was on." Dixie peered into Roy's stricken face. "He never told you either, did he?

"No." Roy's answer was barely audible. "He never told any of us. That has to be part of what was on his mind today. He has been so distant and overprotective at the same time." Now Roy looked at the phone number in his hand. "I'd better go call his aunt. He'll need someone."

"You can use the phone in Kel's office. While you're doing that, I"ll go back in and see what is happening with Johnny. I"ll find you both there. Mike, there's coffee in the lounge for both of you." Dixie patted his arm and pointed the way to the lounge before disappearing back into the exam room.

"Roy, I'll just wait here and try to catch the doc. You go call Gage's aunt." Mike said quietly. He had decided that after John's day of protecting his crewmates, there was no way he was going to be left alone now.

"Okay, Mike. You know where Dr. Brackett's office is if you need me, right?

"I know. You'll find me here when you're done. Cap and Marco will be here as soon as the Chief releases them." Mike leaned back against the wall and tried to himself at least look comfortable. "Go on," he smiled sadly at Roy.

Without another word, Roy made his way down the hall to Brackett's office. This was the first time his partner had been badly injured and the first time he had ever had to make a call to a family and deliver such bad news. He'd known that in the fire service such a duty happened fairly often, but it was one nobody looked forward to. He could have waited and let Cap make the call, or even until he had more information about his partner, but he knew that putting it off would only make it harder.

Roy entered the office and sat down in a chair facing the desk. Peering at the number he had written down, he snagged the phone and slowly dialed.

"Good afternoon, Next Generation. May I help you?" came a young woman's voice over the line.

"Yes ma'am. My name is Fireman Roy DeSoto. I need to speak to Mrs. Rose Gage. It is an emergency."

"I'm sorry sir, but Rosie died six months ago."

Roy was speechless for a few seconds. "Is it possible to get the name and number of her family members? Like I said, this is an emergency."

"Let me connect you to our administrator. She'll be the one to release that information if it is available." The young woman said, her voice low and sympathetic.

"Thank you." Roy rubbed at his temple. "Johnny," he thought, "why didn't you tell me she had died. That must have been hard for you."

His musings were cut short when another voice came over the line. "This is Erin Farmer. How may I help you?"

Quickly Roy repeated his request. "I remember Rosie very well. She only had one family member in this area, a young man named Johnny Gage. He is a fireman...", her voice changed to one of sad understanding, "he's why you're calling, isn't he?"

"Yes ma'am. Johnny has been badly injured. His aunt is the only family I know of. Is there a way to check Rose's file and find if she listed any other family members?"

"I'll call our Records office and have them track down what there is. Johnny is such a sweet young man. He was here two and three times a week to see his aunt. He was such a flirt with the other residents here as well. Everyone looked forward to having him visit. When Rose died, he took care of all the arrangements himself. I told him he was welcome anytime and he has been back a time or two. Give me your number and I'll call you back as soon as I can." Mrs. James wrote down the number for Roy's home and the station then hung up.

Roy hung up the phone and slowly left Brackett's office. He walked down the hall to the exam room and quietly told Mike what he had found out. Mike shook his head and slumped against the wall. Neither man could image being alone with no family to support them. "Why didn't Johnny tell us his aunt died? We'd have been with him, he shouldn't have had to go through that alone." Though Mike didn't speak often, when he did, he showed his compassion for others.

Before Roy could answer, the exam room door opened and Dr. Brackett stepped out.

"Roy, Mike."

"How is he, Doc?" Roy asked.

"He could be better. We inserted a chest tube and drained off the blood from the hemothorax. He is breathing on his own again, but we will be keeping him on the respirator to let his lung heal. The breaks aren't bad, but it is the head injury that has me worried. His skull has a hairline fracture and there is a considerable amount of swelling around his brain. He is in a medically induced coma right now and may need some surgery to evacuate the fluid buildup. If it continues to build and we can't correct it..." He let the sentence drop. "Right now, all we can do is wait." Brackett looked at Roy again. "Dixie told me you were attempting to contact his aunt. Did you find her?"

"She's dead. She died six months ago. The nursing home is trying to find any other family members. In the meantime, what else can we do?

"Not much really. We will be moving him up to ICU soon." The dark-haired doctor patted Roy's shoulder and walked on down the hall.

Mike glanced down the hall and saw Joe Williams, one of the paramedics from 110's walk in escorting Chet on a gurney. He and Roy hurried down the hall to greet their injured crewmate. "How are you doing, Chet?" Roy asked.

"I'm ok. How's Johnny?" Chet was unconcerned about his own injuries.

"Not good, Chet. His skull was fractured. Doc's moving him up to ICU pretty soon." Roy stated simply.

Chet fell silent as he was wheeled into the treatment room. Roy walked in with him as Mike resumed his place in the hallway. He hadn't been there for long before Cap and Marco entered the emergency door. "How are they?" Cap asked.

"I don't know about Chet, but Johnny is really bad." Slowly, Mike filled them in on John's injuries.

"Roy tried to call his aunt, but it turns out that she died about six months ago. Isn't that when John took that week off, said he had the flu or something?" Mike looked at Cap and Marco for confirmation.

"That's right," Marco nodded his head. "I tried to take him some food and he convinced me not to come over, said he didn't want to make me sick."

Cap looked haggard and drawn. "Do either of you know of any other family he might have?"

Both me silently shook their heads. "You know how private John is. The most he's ever talked about his family was that disgust over the anthros on the reservation when he was a kid." Marco said.

"I'll contact headquarters. They can look in John's application papers and see if he listed any other family." Cap strode off down the hall to the nurse's desk. He spent a few moments on the phone before rejoining what was left of his crew. "No luck. The only person he listed was his aunt Rose. We'll just have to wait and see if the nursing home comes up with any more names." Cap leaned against the wall brushing uselessly at the soot on his face and hair.

Roy came out of the treatment room and joined his teammates. "Chet's gonna be okay. He just has a few bruises and a sore back. They're gonna take some x-rays to be sure. Doc Morton says that Johnny saved Chet's life by shielding him the way he did."

"Do you realize that he has saved each of us today?" Marco looked at the rest of the small group.

"And now it's our turn to save him. Did he tell any of you that today is his birthday?" Roy knew by the shocked faces around him that none of them knew. "John is 24 today. And he's all alone."

"No he's not." Cap declared. "We'll have to be his family."

"We already are, Cap." Mike stated simply.

No one spoke for several minutes, each man lost in his own thoughts. Dixie found them a few minutes later and tried to convince Captain Stanley to take his crew into the doctor's lounge. "We can't leave until Gage is settled. One of us will need to be with him. We aren't going to leave him alone, especially today."

"You know you can't do that, Hank. Only immediate family are allowed in ICU and that is only for ten minutes a day every couple of hours." Dixie protested.

"Dix, he doesn't have any other family." Hank filled her in on what they had found out. "I'm not leaving one of my men alone. He's been alone for too long." Captain Stanley stood firm, showing what made him such a good choice for a captain. "You clear it with Doc Brackett, or I will."

Dixie just settled for a long look at the tall captain before she smiled in understanding and left. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down next to the other three men of his crew for the long wait. Station 51 had been stood down until replacements could be found for the two injured firemen. He and Marco had driven the squad back to the station and continued on to the hospital in the engine. If worse came to worse, Roy could ride the engine as the fourth firefighter and they could still respond to calls. The threat of brush fires was very high in the late summer and no station could be spared if a fire broke out.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Roy jumped up to answer it. "Fireman Roy DeSoto speaking. Yes, sir. He's right here." The blond paramedic held the receiver out to his captain. "It's headquarters."

Hank stood up and leaned against the counter to reach the wall phone better. "Captain Stanley." He listened for a moment before taking the pen out of his shirt pocket and writing something on his hand. "Thank you. We'll take care of reaching him. Thanks for your time. No, I don't. I'll let you know as soon as I find out something." He hung up, a thoughtful look on his long face.

"Headquarters came up with a name. John had to provide two names on the paperwork to get into the fire academy. I don't know if this is his dad or who, a Roderick Gage in Montana." Cap stopped talking as the door opened.

Doctors Brackett, Early, and Morton came in followed by Dixie. "Gentlemen, we have some news on our friends. Mike, you first." Kel Brackett waved a hand at the young black intern.

"Chet's gonna be fine. He has no broken bones, just a few painful bruises and some smoke inhalation. He'll be released in a few hours. I just want him to have some oxygen therapy for a bit." Morton took off his glasses and cleaned them nervously.

"Thanks, Doc. Now, what about Gage?" The men of 51 were content to let Cap Stanley take the lead.

"John's a little more complicated. He has fractures of the arm and leg that will heal without a problem. There is burn damage to his trachea which interfered with his breathing. The skull fracture is just that, a fracture. The bone is not depressed so it's not putting additional pressure on the brain. There is quite a bit of swelling however. He's on medication to try to reduce the swelling. We can go back later and put in a shunt to drain the excess fluid from around his brain. The hemothorax, or blood in the chest cavity, has been drained and we have a chest tube in place. He doesn't have a collapsed lung or anything, but the risk of infection is incredibly high." Doc Early stated the list of the young man's injuries calmly. "I won't lie to you, Gage has a difficult road ahead of him."

"Will he live?" Roy's simple question had everyone's attention.

"I can't answer that. It's up to him now. And the more support he has, the better."

All the firemen looked down at the floor at the doctor's words. After a moment, Hank looked Doc Early in the eye. "You don't expect him to live do you?" Cap glanced at the remainder of his crew before speaking again. "One of us, or another fireman or our families will be with him every minute. He lost his only relative about six months ago, we just found out." He filled in the medical staff on what they had found out. "We're all he has right now."

"Only family members are allowed in the ICU." Brackett stated firmly. He hadn't counted on Hank Stanley's firmness.

"I said, he doesn't have any family and we WON"T leave him alone. Today is his birthday, we won't let it be the day he dies."

Brackett stared at the smoke and soot covered bunch of firemen. "I'll make you a deal. IF we can't find any other family members for him, I'll allow you to visit him as family. But you must follow ICU guidelines." Brackett crossed his arms and tried to stare down the captain.

"You misunderstood me, Doc. Johnny thinks he is all alone. I don't intend for him to feel that way for any longer. I promise that we will stay out of the way and only one at a time if need be, but one of us will be there all the time." Captain Stanley straightened his tall frame and stared down at the stocky doctor.

Dixie smothered a smile as Dr. Morton turned his head. The elderly looking Dr. Early didn't even try, his broad smile lit up his face. "Kel, it could help make the difference." Now he turned to the stern fire captain. "Let's go to Kel's office and try to call that number you have. We can decide from there."

Stanley nodded, and after a moment, so did Dr. Brackett. "Let's go. I won't deny that having family around will help."

Solemnly, the group returned to Dr. Brackett's office. Dixie took the phone number and dialed the number. She flipped the switch for the speaker phone so that every one could hear the conversation.

"Hello?" a rough male voice answered on the fifth ring.

"May I speak with Mr. Roderick Gage, please?" Dixie asked, striving to make her voice pleasant and professional.

"This is Roddy. Who are you?" The voice became wary and suspicious.

"My name is Dixie McCall. I'm calling from Rampart Emergency Hospital in Los Angles. Do you know a man named Johnny Gage?"

"Now what has that half-breed bastard gone and done? Just because I'm his uncle don't mean I gotta pay for it. You just throw his sorry ass out on the street right now. You ain't getting a damn dime outta me for his screw-up." The man's voice was hard and low.

"We must be speaking about a different man. Mr. Gage is a paramedic with the LA County fire department." Dixie tried not to let her shock color her voice. Her wide eyes swept the room to see the expressions of disbelief on the others in the room.

"Nah, you got the right guy. So he conned his way into being a fireman huh? Little shit couldn't live on the res, he says. Says that he's gonna be somebody. He's somebody alright. Killed my sister with his birthing. I let him live here with me and my other sister Rose. His daddy died drunk and poor. Sorry bastard never had nothing to his name. He'd run away from the orphanage where he grew up, got Margie pregnant, then did nothing but drink himself to death. If I'd knowed where that orphanage was, I'd packed that sorry brat right off to it." Roddy's voice stopped and the assembly in the room could hear him taking a drink.

"Sir, Johnny is very badly injured. He may die. We need to let his family know." Dixie tried to be reasonable.

"So let him die. He should have died 10 years ago but the sorry bastard couldn't pull the trigger on the gun I gave him. Always whining about he was lonely, he missed his parents. I tried to beat some sense into him, but Rose bitched about that. She finally took him and moved out. I figured the both of them were dead by now."

Roy spoke up now. "Sir, Rose Gage died six months ago."

"So he killed her too. That's about all that sorry-assed son-of-a-bitch is good for."

"How dare you! Johnny is a highly valuable member of the department and one of the finest paramedics we have. He is also my friend!" Roy's vehement outburst was backed up by murmurs of support from the others in the room.

"You have my sympathy. Try to pick better friends."

"I can see why Johnny left. A narrow minded...person...such as yourself couldn't begin to understand the hard work and effort that Johnny expends every day to help others." The nurse's voice dripped with scorn and sarcasm.

"That shiftless little dirtbag hasn't worked a day in his life. Oh, no. He had to go to school. He couldn't get a job like a man and earn his keep. It never mattered how hard I beat him, he just had to go to school. Rose wasn't any help either. Always telling him how good he was, letting him learn how to compete in the rodeo." A spit could be heard. "Them stupid teachers at that white school always telling him he was as good as any white man, putting him on sports teams, nothing to teach him how to work."

"But he has made something of himself. Being a paramedic and a rescue man with the fire department is a very difficult job." Captain Stanley spoke up.

"Yeah, right." The man's voice dripped with scorn. "You keep telling yourself that. Maybe you even believe it. Good for you. I"ll tell you what. You want that lazy ass nephew of mine, you take him. I'll be well rid of him."

Roy spoke up. "Sir, are there any other family members we could contact?" The paramedic had to struggle to keep the anger out of his voice.

"No. What the liquor hasn't killed, sickness has. Like I said, if you're so concerned about the bastard, you keep him." The phone was slammed down, the connection broken. Dixie couldn't keep out the sobs that tore at her throat.

"That black hearted son-of-a-bitch!! How dare he talk about Johnny that way!"

Dr. Brackett directed an intense look at Hank Stanley. "Captain Stanley, you have my permission to station someone with Johnny 24 hours a day. I'll clear it with administration and the nursing staff will have standing orders to that effect." The doctor's dark eyes shone with anger.

No one was in a hurry to leave the room. Dixie pulled a Kleenex from her pocket and dabbed at her eyes. The firemen just looked at the floor or at their hands. No one seemed to know what to say to follow what they had just heard. Finally Captain Stanley spoke up.

"Now it makes sense. If that is the environment that Johnny grew up in, he has missed a lot about being part of a family. He spends a lot of time worrying about us, and not really about himself. That ends now. Johnny has spent his birthday giving us the present, our safety. Roy, you are off shift as of now if you want to sit with your partner first. I"ll inform headquarters and see if Dwyer and Jackson can come in early." Hank stood and faced Dr. Brackett. "Thank you for understanding."

Dr. Brackett stood and held out his hand to the tall fire captain. "No thanks are necessary. I understand more than I used to about Johnny. He has had to work very hard to get where he is but he still has a lot of issues about belonging. He won't have to worry anymore."

"Just let me call Joanne first. You know that she and the children have grown really fond of Johnny. In fact, the kids have started calling him "uncle". He really dotes on the kids as well. You should have seen how much stuff he bought them for Christmas and labeled every bit of it "From Santa"." Roy answered with a sad smile.

"Use this phone, Roy. Go on up to ICU when you are done. Dix, let's go check on Johnny. Cap, Chet should be released in about three hours. You guys can go in and see him if you want. He needs to be brought up to speed." Dr. Brackett stood and headed for the door. Dixie followed him swiftly, still wiping the remains of tears from her eyes.

With a feeling of grim purpose, the group began to disperse. Cap, Marco and Mike went to see Chet. They knew that they had to return to duty soon. Roy picked up the phone and dialed home. His eyes were wet with renewed tears as he related what he knew about his best friend's childhood. Joanne was incensed.

"That...that...I can't say it. Roy, how can anyone be so cruel to a child? I'm so proud of Johnny for growing up to be the caring person he is. Now I see why he enjoys our children so much. You stay there as long as you need to. I"ll find someone to babysit the children and I"ll be along presently. Chris will be home from school soon and Jenny is just waking up from her nap. I love you, Roy." Joanne's voice was soft and soothing, just one of the many things that Roy loved about her.

"I'll be up in ICU when you get here. Have the nurse let me know you're here." Roy hung up, and sat back in the chair. He listened to the silence in the small office and closed his eyes. He knew that he needed to get back in control of his emotions. His crewmates knew that he was level headed and calm, but they had no idea of how much self-control it took to maintain. It had been easier since meeting that serious young man with the jet black hair in the paramedic recruiting drive. Johnny had given him a vicarious outlet for his emotions and he was grateful to his partner for that.

An hour later, Roy was sitting in a hard plastic chair by Johnny's bedside. The paramedic in him knew the functions of each of the machines and lines hooked up to his friend and he recited them one by one; respirator, cardiac monitor, IV fluids, catheter. Knowing their names and functions didn't help Roy's worry. The man in the bed wasn't the same one that Roy had come to know, trust, and love like a brother, though he would never admit that out loud. After hearing Johnny's uncle dismiss him as totally worthless, Roy felt a growing sense of protectiveness over his young partner. He had called John, Junior a few times in fun, but now he meant it. A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see Joanne in the hallway.

Roy waved her in as he stood up to embrace her. "He looks so still." Joanne murmured as she buried her face in Roy's shoulder. "I've heard you say a lot of things about him, but being still was never one." Now she looked directly at the pale figure on the bed. "I understand him better now though, especially the promise he made to me."

Roy looked at her, surprised that Johnny would be making promises to his wife. "What promise?"

Tears shone in his wife's eyes as she continued to gaze at her husband's partner. "The first time you brought him to the house for dinner. He and I were talking in the living room while you put Chris to bed. He told me that he could see why Roy was so proud of me and the children. He promised to do everything he could to see to it that you made it home safe and sound at the end of every shift. I understand why now. If he never had that, he was going to make sure that you did." Now Joanne laughed softly and looked deeply into Roy's eyes. "I'm just guessing here, but he does that for all the guys, doesn't he?"

"Yea, he does," Roy answered softly. " In fact, he has been doing that all day." Quickly, Roy told his wife about Johnny's actions for all the crew that day. "It all makes so much sense now. Did you know that today was his birthday?"

"No," Joanne shook her head sadly and then addressed Johnny directly. "As soon as you get well, young man, I'm going to bake you the biggest, gooiest, chocolate cake you have ever seen. I wonder, when was the last time you had a birthday party?" Joanne didn't finish the rest of the thought, "Or have you ever had one?"

Joanne sat down in the chair, placing her handbag on the floor under the bed. "Why don't you go on down and see Chet? I stopped by on my way up here and he is scheduled for another evaluation by the respiratory therapist in about an hour. He is really worried about Johnny. He said something about it was his fault Johnny is here?" Her tone held a note of puzzlement.

"It's not his fault." Briefly, Roy told his wife about the building collapse that had trapped both men. "I'll go see him. He may need a ride home. If he does, I'll take the car and run him home. Where are you parked?" He nodded as Joanne told him where, then kissed the top of her head and left.

Joanne placed her warm hand on top of Johnny's cold one. "Now you listen here, I will not sit in this hard chair for one more minute than I have to, so you can just start waking up and getting better. As soon as you can get out of here, I'll fix up the guest room at the house and you can come stay with us for a bit until you are back on your feet. Besides, there aren't any pretty, young nurses here. They only let the old meanies on this floor..."

"That's to make sure our patients don't want to stay." A voice completed the sentence. Joanne blushed bright red as she turned to face the newcomer.

The nurse who entered reminded Joanne of her own grandmother. She was small in stature but the power and strength in her green eyes made you believe she could rule the world. This nurse had the same look of strength and compassion in her hazel colored eyes. She was tall with graying hair pulled into a graceful bun. "My name is Heidi. And you are?"

"Joanne DeSoto." The petite brunette waved to the man on the bed. "This is Johnny Gage, my husband's partner."

"I know. I got the full report on him during shift change. Dr. Brackett is going to stay involved in his case as well as Dr. Michaels from neurology." Heidi moved to the patient's bedside to begin assessing Johnny's condition. "Where is Mr. Gage's family? Are you waiting for them?"

A fresh slew of tears began a slow trickle down Joanne's face. "We just found out today. He doesn't have any family left, except for the department. Dr. Brackett said it would be alright if one of us stayed with him all the time."

Heidi just nodded, her professional demeanor never breaking stride. "Good. I personally feel that the more quiet interaction with family, the faster ICU patients tend to heal. Now usually I would have to say that I don't want you to disturb him or get him worked up, but with his head injury and the coma, I want you to try to get him to respond. Talk to him, play music, ask him questions, tell him jokes, whatever. Just be sure to take care of yourself as well."

"You don't have to worry about that. Johnny here has lots of friends and we will be drawing up a schedule to sit with him." Joanne moved to the head of the bed and stroked his dark hair. "You know that, don't you Johnny? You are not alone, not now, not ever."

Heidi left the room just as Roy was coming back in. "Hello, I was introducing myself to John and your wife. I'm Heidi Manns, night supervisor."

"Roy DeSoto, fireman/paramedic with Station 51." Roy shook hands with her.

"I know. I have to see my other patients now. Pleased to meet both of you and please don't hesitate to call if you need anything." Heidi left the room after one last smile at Johnny.

"How's Chet?" Joanne quickly asked.

"Doing fine. Doc's gonna make him go home for the night and he will take first shift tomorrow morning. Cap and the guys had to return to the station. B shift's paramedics are coming in and Cap was able to get Timmons from 45's to cover the rest of Chet's shift." Roy stood by the side of the bed and grabbed Johnny's hand.

"Hey, pal. How're ya doing? Cap says to get up and come back to work. He's afraid the Phantom is going to find a new target. Also, he says no one can replace you. You are too much a part of A shift to start training someone new now." Roy bent down and spoke softly to his friend. "I'd miss you too, Junior."

The next few hours passed quietly. Joanne finally went home to see to the children and Roy napped off and on in the hard plastic chair. He woke up each time Heidi or another nurse came into the room to check on Johnny. He helped them to reposition him to prevent bedsores and even showed them how Johnny liked to sleep with one arm over his eyes. Heidi encouraged that, saying that doing everyday things could only help the injured man to return to normal that much faster.

When morning came, Heidi brought in the supervisor for the day shift nurses, a brisk nurse named Kris Pembroke. She had a no-nonsense attitude but wholeheartedly agreed that company and interaction would be the best for her comatose patient. She was just finishing up her exam when Chet came into the room.

"Chet, how are you this morning?" Roy asked quietly.

"I'm fine, just a bit hoarse. How's Johnny?" Chet asked in a low voice, trying to cover up a cough.

"The same. The doctors think that the swelling is still growing. He may need surgery to open up some space. They still don't know what kind of damage may have been done, if any." Roy decided to give Chet the hard facts, knowing that Chet would rather hear the truth instead of having it sugar coated. "But, there is a chance that he could make a complete recovery. The hard part is up to him. We just have to make sure that he knows that we are all behind him."

"He knows. He put his life on the line for each of us. You don't do that for just anyone, only family." Chet's answer was completely out of character for him. Roy knew that family meant a great deal to Chet and that he was having a hard time dealing with the revelation that Johnny's family was as good as nonexistent.

"Go on home, Roy. I"ll stay till about two and then Cap is coming in with his wife. Johnny met her last month at the barbeque. She wants to take a turn with us. She got very attached to him, said he was worse than a big kid." Roy chuckled at that. "Cap

got hold of Tony Freeman, his partner from 10's, and he will be here overnight. John's got a lot of friends in this department." Chet took Roy's arm and pushed him toward the door. "Oh, one more thing. Cap says that we only tell people that Johnny's an orphan, no need to blab his background to anyone."

"Sounds like a plan. If he didn't tell anyone, why should we?" Roy shrugged out of Chet's grasp and went back to the bedside. "I'll just be gone for a while. Chet's gonna stay here with you and I promise, no Phantom here. Besides, you still haven't gotten back at him for the last stunt. I'll even help you plan something. If you need me, just let Chet know. I'll be here so fast it'll make your head spin." Roy waited for any kind of sign that his friend heard him, but nothing happened.

"Call me if anything changes, Chet." Roy instructed as he finally made his way out the door and headed for home.

Chet stood by the bedside and looked down at his "Pigeon" as he tended to call Johnny. He knew exactly why he played all his best practical jokes on the young man. He tended to view Johnny as his little brother, despite the fact that they were only separated by a little over a year in age. He had always wondered if Johnny was a younger brother, now he regretted the childhood that Johnny had never experienced.

Taking his friend's cold hand into his warm one, Chet sat down and began talking. "Since you probably didn't have much of a chance to really enjoy your childhood, let me tell you a few stories about mine. Maybe you can dream that you did all the things that I got into trouble for." Chet launched into a lengthy tale of cat chasing and tree climbing and hiding out in the zoo after hours. Occasionally, he would stop and look at John's face for some indication that the unconscious man could hear him. Chet's heart fell after the fifth time he really studied his crewmate's face and there was nothing there.

Roy entered his house with a heavy heart. He had taken a taxi home from the hospital without even going by the fire station for his own car. All he wanted to do right now was crawl into bed and sleep. He had barely made it to the stairs before a flying bundle of energy flung itself into him.

"Daddy!! You're home, hiya Daddy!" Six year old Chris DeSoto was the mirror image of his dad. Light haired and stocky, the young man already had visions of becoming a paramedic when he grew up. Roy stooped down and picked his son up in his arms.

"How'ya doing, sport?" Roy hugged his son tightly,

"Great! I hit the ball today in baseball at school. We got to start our own team and everything." Chris wriggled down and started talking non-stop about his first grade class. Roy half listened as he led the way to his bedroom. Joanne met him at the top of the stairs holding three year old Jenny by the hand. She smiled sadly, wanting to ask about Johnny but not wanting to upset the children. Roy saw the look in her eyes and gave her a gentle kiss before bending down to pick up his daughter.

"Tickle me, Daddy, tickle me." The blond haired child squealed with laughter as her dad tickled her tummy. "You do it better than Uncle Johnny does." She frowned at the sad look that crossed her daddy's face.

"What's wrong, Daddy? You're sad." Jenny may have been only three, but she understood her parent's moods and was very quick to offer comfort when she sensed it was needed.

Roy debated on telling his children about their "uncle". He didn't want to upset either one of them, but he had been raised on answers to his direct questions and he and Joanne had decided to do the same for their children. He glanced at his wife who responded with a slow nod. "Come here and I'll tell you both." Roy led the way into his bedroom and sat down on the bed. While Joanne stood by the door, Jenny crawled into his lap and Chris sat on the bed next to him.

"Do you remember me telling you that Uncle Johnny and I help people who are sick or hurt?" Both children nodded their heads. "Well, now your Uncle Johnny is hurt. We were trying to put out a big fire and he got hurt. He's at the hospital right now."

Jenny started to cry. Chris balled up his fists and asked his dad. "Is he gonna be okay?"

Roy hugged the both of them close. "I don't know son. The doctors are giving him the best help and the best medicine they can, but he is hurt pretty bad."

"Can we go see him like we did my friend Brian when he was in the hospital?" Chris asked.

"No we can't. Johnny is in a special part of the hospital where children can't go. Only grown ups can go see him." Roy began to rock his crying daughter. He felt her stiffen up and draw away from him.

"Can I draw Uncle Johnny a picture? You could take it to him and hang it on his wall and he can look at it and laugh and get all better then he can come here and have a picnic with us and..." Roy had to laugh as he put a finger on Jenny's mouth to stop her monologue.

"Of course you can draw him a picture, sweetie. Why don't you go do that right now? Daddy needs to take a nap now. I"ll look at your picture and take it to the hospital with me tonight." Roy gave Jenny then Chris a bear hug, swatting both of them on the bottom as they left the room. Joanne left her place by the door and came over to sit by her husband. She didn't have to ask.

"He's not good, Jo. He just lays there. It's scary. It's like he's not even there anymore. I don't even know if he gonna live or die, or if he even cares."

"He means a lot to you, doesn't he?" Joanne asked quietly.

"Yes. I don't know why, he's nothing like me. He's irritating, talks nonstop, has the craziest ideas and get rich quick schemes, he's..."

"A talented firefighter, a caring and dedicated paramedic, and a loyal friend." Joanne finished her husband's thought. "I know. He and I have had a few discussions ourselves."

Roy looked sideways at his wife, the unasked question in his eyes. Joanne laid her head on Roy's shoulder and said softly. "I think it was the second time you brought him home for breakfast. You walked Chris to the curb to catch the school bus and Johnny was holding Jenny in his lap. He told me how much he enjoyed seeing you with your family and then he just looked at me. I asked him what he was thinking and he just smiled at me. He put Jenny down and placed his hand on his heart and told me that he knew I thought he was too young to be in the department, that he was reckless and I didn't trust him to work with you. He promised me then that he would always watch over you for me." She turned and looked Roy in the face. "I trust him to bring you home safe to me everyday. I never thought about who might be waiting for him. What does he have to come back to?"

Instead of answering, Roy hugged his wife.

Three days passed with no change in Johnny's condition. The men of station 51 as well as their wives, girlfriends, and other friends in the department had set up a rotating schedule for sitting with the injured paramedic. The shifts lasted for six hours so that more people could take a turn. The visitors brought cassettes tapes, read newspapers or books, or just told stories about past fires or the day's events.

When it was Roy's turn again, he entered the room slowly. His arms were full of pictures from Chris and Jenny, a cassette player with tapes from John's apartment, and a sports poster that Chris had won in a contest at school. He sat everything down on the plastic chair and exchanged a few words with Tony before Tony left.

"How's he doing today?"

"Not good. His temp has been going up a bit at a time and Doc Brackett had to add a new antibiotic to his IV. He thinks that Johnny may be developing pneumonia." Tony had a worried look on his face. "Call me today if you find out anything else. I'm on shift but you have my number."

"Of course. Stay safe today." Roy watched as his fellow firefighter left then turned to his friend lying on the bed. Johnny was lying on his side with pillows propping up his arm and knee. Roy studied the machines and forced himself to interpret their readings. Johnny was off the ventilator but his respirations were slow as was his pulse. Roy started talking to his friend as he got settled for the day.

"Good morning, Junior. The kids sent you some things. Jenny wants to know when you are coming back for supper. She says that Joanne doesn't make her eat her veggies when you are there. Where should I hang this poster that Chris sent over? He won it at school for getting the most questions right on a math quiz." Roy continued his banter while he taped the poster up on the wall opposite Johnny's bed. He was admiring his work when Dr. Brackett stepped into the room.

"Morning, Doc," Roy greeted the doctor.

"Good morning Roy, John." Brackett looked at the clipboard he was holding. "It looks like your fever is still rising a bit there, John. I'll have to ask Dr. Michaels about a new antibiotic. I'm going to have the respiratory therapist in here to evaluate you as well. Roy, can I talk to you outside, please?" Brackett didn't know if Johnny could hear him or not but he didn't want to talk about possibly negative results where the patient could hear him.

"How's he really doing?" Roy asked. He had the sinking feeling that something was wrong.

"Not good, Roy. The intra cranial pressure has dropped but Johnny isn't responding to his environment at all. His vitals are all dropping down. Dr. Michaels and I have discussed this and neither of us can find a reason for it. It's as if Johnny is just giving in to the coma." Brackett rubbed his face with both hands. "We just don't know enough about how the human brain works. We do know that willpower and stubbornness can play a big part."

"And Johnny doesn't have anything to come back to, right?" Roy's face paled with the thought.

"I wouldn't say that. It's true that he doesn't seem to have much of a family, but he does have you guys. I've seen the attention you guys have been giving John, and I think that on some level, he has to be seeing it as well. You just have to be strong for him and make him want to fight to come back." Brackett scratched the back of his head. "All I'm trying to say is, keep up the good work. His fractures are healing nicely, the laceration in his back is staying clean and no sign of infection and the pressure in his brain is dropping. These are positive signs. The rest is up to him."

"Thanks, Doc. We'll keep on doing our best," Roy promised. Brackett smiled sadly and left the room. Roy spent the next six hours telling Johnny about his new, and temporary partner, Matt Wheeler.

"I have to tell you, Johnny, he has the potential to be really good, but he isn't there yet. He has been with the department for only a year and he only joined to become a paramedic. He still has some department training to go through and he hasn't been in a big one yet. Do you remember that brush fire about six months ago?" Roy was looking over the cast on John's leg and missed the small twitch of his partner's eyelid.

Roy was reading from the paramedic manual when Emily Stanley entered the room. "Good afternoon, Miss Emily." Roy rose to greet Cap's wife. "How are you today?"

"I'm fine, Roy. Hank took the girls to a movie today so I get a turn to sit with our friend here. I've been looking forward to this. I saw Dr. Brackett out in the hall and he told me that Johnny is getter better. Hank says that John needs to get his rear end out of bed and back to work on the squad before that new kid polishes the paint off it." Now she turned to face Johnny directly. "Did Roy here tell you that the only thing Matt is allowed to do is clean the latrine and polish the truck? Roy won't let him touch the drug box, or the log, or..."

Roy broke in. "Okay, okay, I get the picture. Maybe I do need to lighten up on him a bit. He will be a good paramedic and a good firefighter one day." Now Roy turned to talk to his partner. "Gotta run, pal. Jo and I have a PTA meeting tonight then I have to go on shift in the morning. I'll run up and see you between runs. Remember, Doc Brackett says that if your fever goes down and the pneumonia backs off, he will put you in a regular room. That means more people so brush up on your manners. This sleeping when you have company gets a bit old. I don't let Chris and Jenny do it and I am certainly not starting with you."

Emily escorted Roy to the door, neither of them noticing the small wrinkle that appeared on John's face.

Late the next afternoon, Joanne quietly entered the room, exchanging smiles with Mrs. Lopez, Marco's mother. Mrs. Lopez stood and, noticing the tear tracks on the younger woman's face, reached out to embrace her. "What happened, _Chica_?"

Joanne spoke to Johnny as well as to the older woman. "It's Roy. Johnny, Roy won't be up for a few days. He was hurt at a fire today. He and his crewmate, Matt were doing a sweep when they got separated. Matt made it out just fine but he didn't realize that Roy hadn't made it out. Chet and Marco found him, he had passed by a statue that fell on him and knocked him out. He has a concussion and a bad cough from the smoke." Joanne went to stand by the bed and looked down at the comatose man lying there. "I know you are hurt, but I need you to get better so you can keep your promise."

Joanne leaned down close to the bed. "I know it sounds selfish, but you made me a promise and I am going to hold you to that. I..Johnny??"

Mrs. Lopez heard the change in her tone. "What's wrong, Joanne?"

"He moved! Johnny, can you hear me? Johnny! Answer me." Joanne gripped the young man's hand tightly. She and Mrs. Lopez both saw the small movements around the patient's eyes and mouth. Marco's mother pressed the nurse call button and was gratified by the quick response. Kris and Heidi both came into the room.

Kris spoke first. "Can I help you?"

"He moved. I think he can hear me." Joanne's eyes were bright with hope.

Heidi had moved to the opposite side of the bed and was checking John's vital signs and the monitors. "Kris, we have a definite change. Call Emergency and get Dr. Brackett up here." Now she looked at the two women. "Normally, I would ask you to step out, but this time, I think it's better if you stay." She didn't add that from the looks on the faces of the two women, it would have been a losing fight anyway.

Kris left the room and was back moments later with Dr. Brackett and Dr. Michaels. Both men exchanged greetings with the visitors before leaning over the bed to begin their own exams. Joanne didn't miss the slight smile on Kel's face as he turned to face her.

"Whatever you did, Joanne, keep it up. His responses are a bit better. He may even start to wake up soon." Now he changed the topic.

"By the way, I talked to Joe Early on my way up. He says that Roy will be ready to be released by morning. He is going to want him to stay home and quiet for a few days though. That means no coming here as well as no work."

He spun as a noise from the bed interrupted him. "Johnny! Can you hear me?" Brackett was rewarded by a grimace from his friend. "Come on, hose jockey. Time to wake up. Roy's looking for a new roommate."

That comment brought more grimaces and some head movement. Kel exchanged a glance with Joanne. "That's right, John. Roy's in the hospital as well. He could use a friendly face." He motioned for Joanne to approach the bed. "Talk to him, Joanne."

Joanne nodded. "Johnny, I told you, Roy's gonna be okay. He was in a fire. He's okay. Marco and Chet got him out just fine. I got to talk to him just a few minutes ago. He's gonna stay in the hospital for a day or so and then go home." She was rewarded by more head movement. "He said he'd be back up to stay with you as soon as the docs let him."

"We'll be back in a moment, Johnny. I just need to talk to Joanne about Roy for a second outside." Brackett and Dr. Michaels walked out into the hallway with Joanne in tow.

Dr. Michaels was the first to speak. "He seems to be responding to the news of his partner's injury. Have they been working together long?"

"About a year now," Brackett answered. "They are one of the first teams of paramedics trained and the first to officially practice in the field. In fact, Johnny in there did the first defib on a scene."

"They seem to be very close. I think that is helping more than anything else. Kel, I questioned your decision to allow 24 hours access to Johnny, but I have to admit to being wrong. I have never been more happy to be proven wrong." The older doctor gave a small smile. "Keep up the good work." With that, the doctor left the small group.

"What do we do now?" Joanne asked.

"I don't know." Brackett admitted. He was thinking hard about what the next step should be.

Mrs. Lopez was standing by Johnny's bedside, holding his hand and stroking his forehead. "I know you can hear me _mijo_. My boys used to pretend to be asleep when they didn't want to do what I told them to. Now you have a job to do and people who are counting on you. It's time for you to wake up and get better. Roy needs you to get better." At the mention of Roy's name, Johnny began to stir. "That's right, _mijo_. You just wake up."

Joanne walked back into the room and walked over to the bedside. "I have to go see Roy now, Johnny. As soon as he gets back on his feet, he'll be up to see you."

Dixie McCall entered the room and smiled grimly at the two women inside. "Joanne, Dr. Early needs to see you. It's about Roy, they've found something else."

Joanne grabbed Johnny's hand for support. She didn't notice that Johnny gripped her hand back. "I thought he was okay. Joe told me the injury was minor, just a slight concussion."

"Roy...needs...help." came a weak voice from the bed. "Have..to...go."

Joanne spun around to the sound of the voice. "Johnny?"

Johnny was moving his head on the pillow and muttering. Joanne bent over him. "Everything's fine. You just lay down and take it easy."

Johnny continued to mumble about his partner. Mrs. Lopez hurried to the other side of the bed while Dixie went out into the hallway to summon the doctors back. When she came back in, she saw both of the women trying to hold Johnny down on the bed. She hurried over to help.

"Johnny Gage, you lay back down there and take it easy." she said in her most authoritative voice. "Roy is in good hands and he needs you to rest and get better."

Johnny, who was accustomed to following Dixie's directions, settled down and seemed to be easing back into a deep sleep. "I said take it easy, not go back to sleep. Now you open up those eyes and talk to me." Dixie said in an exasperated voice.

"Make up your mind," Johnny said softly. "I"m tired." He opened his eyes and found three concerned faces looking back at him. "Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital. You got hurt in a fire but you're gonna be fine." Dixie answered as she reached for his wrist to take his pulse.

"Where's Roy? He's hurt, I have to help him. I promised you, Jo" Johnny's voice was weak and disoriented. It was clear that he was losing the battle to stay awake.

"Go back to sleep and get better, _nino_." admonished Mrs. Lopez. "You have already helped your partner. Both of you are going to be fine. Roy will be here as soon as the doctors let him." She smoothed his brow again. "Just rest now. The doctor will be here soon to see you." All three women saw the faint nod as Johnny settled down in the bed and went back to sleep, this time a normal, healing rest.

"You go see Roy, Joanne. I'll wait for Dr. Brackett and Mrs. Lopez can stay with Johnny." Dixie all but pushed Joanne from the room.

Joanne allowed herself to be pushed out and made her way down to the emergency department and Treatment room six. Roy was asleep on the exam table and Dr. Early was reading Roy's chart.

"Dixie said you needed to see me? Is Roy worse?" Joanne's voice trembled.

"No, not at all. I'm sorry, I should have told Dix that all I needed was some more information on Roy's medical history. Has he ever had any sort of head injury before? It might make a difference on his recovery."

"When he was in Vietnam, he was injured in a firefight and had to have a bunch of stitches right above his ear. I don't think he was knocked out or anything, at least not that he told me. Why do you ask?" Joanne was standing beside her sleeping husband, holding his hand and trying not to let the tears start anew.

"The concussion itself isn't that bad. He should be starting to wake up now, but he isn't. I don't get it."

"I know that having Johnny here isn't helping. He spends as much time in the ICU with him as he can and he hasn't been sleeping at home. I caught him just last night in Chris' room, just staring at him. When I asked him about it, he said that he couldn't imagine not wanting a child. I think that he is really angry at Johnny's uncle and the kind of childhood that he gave Johnny." Joanne smiled at her sleeping husband.

"That would explain it then. Roy is physically exhausted as well as injured. I'll bet that he sleeps for at least the next several hours. We are going to move him to room 428 in just a few minutes. You can go on up and wait on him." Dr. Early closed the chart he was writing in. "By the way, how is Johnny?"

Joanne smiled as she relayed the news that John had woken up and was concerned about rescuing Roy. "Dr. Brackett is with him now."

"Then I'd say, you have nothing to worry about." Dr Early gave her one of his best smiles and left the room.

Joanne kissed her sleeping husband and whispered. "Johnny's awake and he is going to be just fine. You get your rest now and I will start planning for the best birthday party a man could have. You got that deck finished just in time. I think Johnny needs a good barbeque party for his birthday." Joanne kissed Roy again and then headed upstairs to check on Johnny again.

She found him sleeping soundly with Dixie sitting by his bedside. "It's my turn now." Dixie said proudly. "I got off shift just a few minutes ago. He has done some more mumbling, but I just told him that Roy was fine and he went back to sleep."

"That is so good to hear. I am going on home now. Dr. Early says that Roy is going to sleep for the rest of the night and I have to get back to the children. I will be back as soon as I get Chris off to school. My neighbor said she can baby-sit Jen for me tomorrow." Joanne gazed fondly at Johnny for a long moment. "I am also planning a big birthday party for you young man. I don't have any idea what kind of cake you like so you will have to tell me later. You behave yourself now and I'll see you tomorrow."

Roy was sitting up in bed the next morning, trying to eat the cold toast and lumpy oatmeal that the hospital called breakfast, when the door opened and Joanne walked in followed by Dr. Brackett.

"Good morning, Roy." Brackett greeted the paramedic. "I hear that Joe is going to release you this afternoon."

"That's what he says." Roy agreed, pushing away the tray.

"Good, because we need this room for someone else. We'll be moving him in shortly and you can introduce yourself before you leave. In fact, you could be a big help. He seems to be having trouble sleeping." Brackett's customary grin threatened to overwhelm his face.

He was saved from further discussion by the opening of the door. An orderly walked in, said a polite good morning to the assembled group, and crossed to the second bed in the room. He spent a few moments turning down the covers and adding a few additional pillows. Finishing up, he exited the room, only to reappear a few seconds later guiding the end of a gurney. The man on the gurney appeared to be sleeping, only the white of the bandage around his head was showing.

Roy wasn't really paying attention to the patient, preferring instead to talk quietly to Joanne, asking her questions about the children and their plans for the next few days while he finished healing. His attention was drawn to the next bed when he heard a familiar voice say softly, "How'ya doing there, Pally?"

Roy's exclamation of "Johnny!" was followed by a round of laughter from Joanne and Dr. Kel Brackett.

Two weeks later, Roy walked into Johnny's hospital room pushing a wheelchair.

"Are you ready to leave this joint?"

"Boy, am I. I hope I NEVER see the inside of a hospital room again. This is the pits." Johnny was dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed with his overnight bag sitting beside him. He had finally insisted that he could stay by himself for a bit and his friends had reluctantly given up their 24 hour vigils. He had a standing invitation to the Lopez house for meals, a wallet full of phone numbers to call various women for help, and the occasional date, and a warm feeling of belonging.

Roy helped his friend climb gingerly into the wheelchair. Johnny still wore the cast on his leg and his back was sore. The bandage was still on his head, mostly as a precaution against sudden moves that could send him sprawling. He was still prone to the occasional dizzy spell and had been prohibited from using crutches for at least two more weeks. Joanne had invited him to stay with the DeSoto family while he finished healing and saying 'no thanks' hadn't been an option.

Roy gave Johnny all the details of his shift the night before as they walked down the hallway and entered the elevator. "Wanna stop by the ER and say goodbye to Dixie before we leave?" Roy asked.

"Sounds good to me." Johnny was so happy to be leaving that he would have agreed to just about anything at the time. He turned on his brightest smile when he caught sight of Dixie sitting on her customary perch at the nurse's desk. "Hiya, Dix!"

"Well, lookee here. You're finally getting to leave huh?" Dixie's smile matched Johnny's for just a moment before she became all business again. "You still have some more paperwork to finish up before you leave. Why don't you come into the lounge and we can finish it up." Picking up the chart beside her, Dixie led the way to the doctor's lounge.

Johnny had a distinct feeling of unease beginning to make itself known. Roy and Dixie had set him up for something and he wasn't one who liked surprises. He was surprised to see Roy and Dixie share a look of embarrassment as they sat down at the small table. Dixie took the lead.

"We have a confession and an apology to make, John. When you where brought in, we tried to contact your family for permission to treat you."

"You called the nursing home, didn't you?" the young paramedic asked.

"Yes, we did. After we learned that your aunt had died, Captain Stanley contacted battalion headquarters and they found another relative. We called him" Roy continued the story.

Johnny looked down at his hands, an unreadable expression crossing his face. "You talked to my uncle Roddy." It wasn't a question, just a soft statement of fact.

Dixie reached over and placed her hand on her friend's. "Yes we did. I"m sorry, we all are. No one should have to grow up in an environment like that. That is when we got the idea for someone to be with you all the time. None of us liked the idea that you had taken care of your entire crew that day, but you had no one to take care of you." Tears shone in her expressive dark eyes. "It was the only birthday present we could give you that day."

Johnny reached over and wiped the tears from Dixie's face. "Don't be sad about it. I realized a long time ago that I would be alone. When Aunt Rose died, I tried to call Roddy, but he hung up on me. That hurt, but not as bad as realizing that I was all alone. I decided then that I couldn't let anyone else I cared about be alone again."

Roy added his thoughts. "That's when you made that promise to Joanne, isn't it?"

"Yes." John's answer was plain and simple.

"Well then," Dixie pulled the chart to her as she straightened up in her chair, "we just have to put in some other call numbers for you. Roy and your other shift mates have already given us their numbers. Are there any others we can put in?"

"No. I don't have any family left."

"But you need someone to make decisions for you if you are ever hurt again." Dixie just knew that John had someone, somewhere.

Roy looked at his younger partner and announced the decision that he and Joanne had reached. "Johnny, you can put me down as your next-of-kin. You're practically a member of the family anyway."

"I can't do that." Johnny protested.

"Sure you can. You spend a lot of time looking after everyone else, now you have someone looking after you. Joanne and I have already talked it over and we were going to offer anyway." Roy looked over at Dixie. "You go ahead and put it down and we'll both sign it."

Johnny didn't want to protest anymore, the warm feeling of belonging was back and he was enjoying the unfamiliar feelings. He signed the papers that Dixie had ready for him and realized that he had been set-up for just this thing. He shook his head at how easily he had been roped into selecting Roy for his next-of-kin. He was still grinning as he and Roy said their goodbyes and left the hospital.

In the car, Johnny turned to Roy. "I don't usually say stuff like this, but thank you."

"For what?" Roy was puzzled.

"Just for being there. I know that it was your idea for someone to stay with me and I have to admit that I knew the difference between someone else being there and you being there. It just felt right when you were there. It feels really good having a family for once."

"You'll always have a family. Just don't put us through another hospital stay like that one." Roy's grin showed in his voice.

"Don't worry. I don't ever plan on going back there unless some great cosmic force takes over." John's grin matched the one on his blond headed partner. The grin turned into a puzzled look as they pulled into the driveway of the DeSoto residence.

"What's going on, Roy? Is Chris having a party or something?" he asked as Roy stopped the car and got out.

"Something like that," Roy confirmed as he got the wheelchair out of the bed of the blue pickup and helped Johnny into it. "What say we go out back and join the festivities?"

"Sounds good to me. I can't wait to see Chris and Jenny Bean again anyway." Johnny said eagerly. He began to push the wheelchair up the walk and followed the brick sidewalk around to the back yard. He stopped short just as he rounded the corner of the house.

"Surprise!!" yelled a dozen voices at once. Calls of 'Happy Birthday!' and "Welcome Home" followed. Chris and Jenny ran up to Johnny and gave him hugs as best as they could from the sides of the chair. Johnny was stunned as Joanne walked toward him with the members of A shift and their families behind him.

"Welcome to your party, Junior." Roy said as he came up the walk behind the stunned paramedic.

"I know you are probably too old for a surprise party, but the kids really wanted to celebrate your birthday." Joanne told him with no hint of an apology in her voice. "I hope you like Devil's food cake with fudge icing on it because that is the only kind of cake the children would let me bake you."

She looked fondly at the young man who had come to mean so much to her husband and family. "I thought a barbeque would be just the way to celebrate getting out of the hospital. The doctors wouldn't let me have all the people over I wanted to, but the important ones came."

"Hey, I got here didn't I?" Chet Kelly made his way through the crowd holding a soda in each hand. He gave one to Johnny and helped brush the children off the arms of the wheelchair long enough for the rest of Johnny's crewmates to lift the chair onto the deck that surrounded the back of Roy's house.

"That oughta do it, pal." Captain Stanley said proudly. "Now you can see everything and reach the grub before Chet here eats all of it." That brought a torrent of laughter from the entire group.

"Thank you, all of you. I've never had a surprise birthday party before."

"Then it's high time you did." Joanne said briskly. "Dr. Bracket, Dr. Early, and Dixie will be here pretty soon as well. We have plenty of food, cake and ice cream, and even a present or two." She pointed to the picnic table on the far end of the deck and Johnny was amazed at the number of gifts piled there.

The look of amazement and surprise on the young man's face made Joanne's heart melt. Never had she seen such shock and gratitude for something as simple as a birthday party. Looking up, she saw Roy's matching look of determination and knew that Johnny would have a birthday party every year for the rest of his life.

Johnny noticed a young man hanging in the back of the crowd. He was tall with red hair and wire-rimmed glasses. Roy had gone over to talk to him and led the stranger up to Johnny. "Junior, I'd like you to meet my temporary partner, Matt Wheeler."

"I'm glad to meet you, Matt." Johnny said amiably.

"I feel like I already know you," Matt replied. "I've been told about you by lots of different people in the department."

"None of the good stuff, you understand," Chet interjected. "I don't think he needs lessons in how many ways you can lose your helmet on a run."

"Go play in the road, Chet," Johnny said good naturedly. "Or better yet, why don't you bring a plate of those hamburgers Roy is taking off the fire?"

"I'll see if there are any leftovers by the time Marco and Mike get done with them" Chet promised and left.

Matt turned to Johnny. "I hear that I have some learning to do."

"I hear the same thing. That was your first big fire, wasn't it?" Johnny didn't even pretend not to know what Matt was referring to. He had been told the story in explicit detail by Joanne.

"It was. I didn't mean to leave him, I just got confused."

"It's easy enough to do. But, you have to remember, your PARTNER depends on you just like you depend on him. Paste that into your helmet. You NEVER leave a partner if you can help it." Johnny leaned forward for emphasis. "There are times when you aren't going to be able to put your partner first. The victim has to be first. That is the hardest lesson that you will ever learn. The second, and the most important, is that your crew IS your family. Never forget that. Look around you here. I don't know how or why, but somewhere along the way, these men became the only family I have and I'd give anything to make sure they come home safe and sound at the end of each shift."

"I could, and have been told that I should, be very angry at you for leaving Roy in that building. Somehow though, I think you have learned a little something. Roy says you are a good firefighter and will be a really good paramedic." Johnny reached over and stretched out his hand. "I'm proud to know you."

Matt returned the handclasp. "I just hope that one day, I am as good as you and Roy."

"You will be. Just hope that you get a partner that is half the friend to you that Roy is to me and you'll be just fine." Johnny's face broke out into a lopsided grin.

"Now, let's go get some food before Chet manages to eat it all."


End file.
